Two of the questions I am asked most often are when to harvest cantaloupe and winter squash. So I thought I’d preempt the next batch of queries and answer them now.
If they are true cantaloupes, they will tell you when they are ready by coming off the vine easily. (Other melons aren’t as thoughtful). As the rind loses its green color, begin checking daily by giving the fruit a very slight tug, when it’s ripe it comes right off. If you like them on the firm side, don’t wait until that point, just pull it off when it has lost all its green color.
It is especially difficult to determine ripeness in watermelons. I have had the best luck using a combination of two indicators. First, the tendril nearest the melon will be completely brown. Second, the “ground spot” will be yellow. This is the place where the melon is in complete contact with the ground. If you check it and it is not yellow, be sure you replace the melon in the same position, or you may not get a good reading next time.
Winter squash are ripe when they have developed full color, but you need to know your variety to know what color that should be. They can be harvested for cooking as soon as they look ripe enough, but for storage they need to fully mature on the vine.
When fully mature, your fingernail should not be able to make a dent the skin. The stem will be brown and shriveled, and leaves of the vine may also be turning brown. You will have to cut the stem from the vine, as it will not easily let loose.
